Riding Out the Storm
by NickyK
Summary: A storm is brewing and Jen isn't handling it well.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Riding Out the Storm

Author: NickyK

Summary: A storm is brewing and Jen isn't handling it well. 

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

A/N: I'm uploading this story in chapters b/c it turned out to be longer than I'd intended. I do hope you enjoy and forgive my errors as I'm my own proofreader. Story may be slightly OOC.Please review...I would love to know what you think.

Director Jennifer Shepard powered down her computer and did a quick tidying up of her desk, all the while keeping a cautious eye on the weather. It was rare when she was able to escape the confines of NCIS offices sooner rather than later and she was taking full advantage of the opportunity afforded her, especially since the weather service has predicted severe thunderstorms for the area. She didn't do well in thunderstorms. And from the looks of the clouds outside her office window, it seemed that prediction was about to come true. Ignoring the slight quiver in her stomach, she slipped her lightweight coat over her arm and grabbed her briefcase, turning the light off as she went. After securing the door to her office, she glanced out at the bullpen and wasn't surprised to see it deserted save for two lone men standing by the elevator. She made her way down the steps.

"Gentleman," she greeted as she approached them. "What are you still doing here? I thought everyone had already gone?"

They entered the elevator and Jen turned just as Jethro shook his head at Ducky. She glanced between the two, wondering what that was all about.

Ducky cleared his throat. "I was just helping Jethro with some last minute details."

"Oh?" She leveled her gaze at him. "Agent Gibbs, I thought your case was closed. Is there anything I need to be aware of?"

"No."

She stared at him for a moment longer, something about the way he said that made her wary. 

"Were you two waiting for me?" she asked slowly, narrowing her eyes at Gibbs.

"Nope." Gibbs responded quickly. Too quickly.

Jen looked at Ducky and could tell by the amusement on his face that they were indeed doing just that. She sighed loudly, making it clear to both men that she was not pleased.

Ducky chuckled softly. "My dear, are you aware that a storm is brewing?"

"Yes," she scoffed, "but it hasn't started yet."

The words had no sooner left her mouth when they heard the muffled rumbling of thunder right before the lights flickered. Jenny's heart leaped into her throat as the elevator stopped and then continued.

"You were saying?"

She glared at Gibbs and tightened her grip on her briefcase, willing the elevator to move faster.

"They are predicting a bad one," said Ducky, all signs of amusement gone.

"Great," she muttered sarcastically as the lights flickered again.

Gibbs looked over at her, concern in his eyes. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she said irritably, forcing her hand to loosen its white knuckled grip on her briefcase.

The elevator doors slipped opened and Jenny rushed passed both men, eager to flee the confines of the small box. Another round of thunder sounded, echoing around the parking garage with a sharpness that made her gasp. Jenny kept walking, hoping neither man had noticed.

They had.

"Jennifer…," Ducky began his tone solemn and she flinched, knowing what was coming. 

"Stop," she said turning to face him. "I said I'm fine. I don't need you two hovering over me like I'm going to crumble over a little thunderstorm. I'm fine!" she yelled.

"Jen, at least let me drive you home," Gibbs persisted.

She resisted the urge to scream as she said pleasantly. "My driver is waiting by the car, Jethro. I'll see you both tomorrow." With a wave over her shoulder, she veered off toward her car. The driver opened the door at her approach and Jenny stepped inside, grateful to be out of the knowing glances of both men.

Gibbs and Ducky observed the Director as she got into the back seat of the car. Ducky sighed and turned toward the man beside him.

"I do think the lady protests too much."

Gibbs said nothing, silently agreeing with the older man as he watched the Director's car pull out into the street.

"This storm system isn't going away anytime soon. It will get worse before it gets better, I'm afraid."

Gibbs sighed. "I know Duck. I know," he said softly, knowing the doctor was referring more to the Director herself than the storm. He knew she didn't like storms; he'd even taken it upon himself to keep her company when he knew they were coming. But something was different. 

"I'll take care of it," Gibbs said when he realized Ducky was waiting for him to respond. He slapped the doctor gently on his back before heading for his own vehicle-remembering another storm long ago when the Director wasn't the Director of NCIS, but an agent with a serious case of flashbacks. 


	2. Chapter 2

Lightning tendrils streaked across the darkened sky, striking trees and downing power lines. Jenny was a shivering mess by the time she got home. The thunder seemed to surround her, rumbling with an intensity that made her insides quake. She was barely holding it together by the time she reached her door, drenched from the torrential rain, she dropped her keys twice before she finally made it inside. 

_God, she hated when it stormed!_

The house was dimly light, courtesy of Naomi, no doubt. She'd phone the woman earlier and made sure she left before the storm came on.

Naomi had protested naturally, wanting to at least get dinner done for Jenny before leaving, but in the end, Jenny had convinced her to go. She'd also sent away her security, something she knew Agent Gibbs would not be happy about, but she didn't see the point of them being out in this. Not to mention she didn't need any more witnesses to her insane fear of thunderstorms-two was two too many by her estimation.

Another flash of lightning followed by a loud bang had her heart hammering hard in her chest. She looked around; searching for the source of the noise, rolling her eyes when she realized her briefcase had just fallen off the table. Shivering in her wet clothing, she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself enough to make it up the stairs. 

It was foolish of her not to let Jethro bring her home. He would have insisted on staying, as usual, and, as usual, she would have let him. He definitely would have provided the necessary distraction she needed to get through this storm. Jenny sighed, flinching as another clap of thunder made the house shake. She could handle this on her own, she knew that, but his company would have made it a lot more bearable. Pushing all thoughts of Jethro from her mind, determined to face her ridiculous fears head-on, she started up the stairs. Jenny was halfway up when the lights went out. A sense of dread ran through her as she felt the first signs of panic. Thundered roared around her, crackling like a whip; rattling the windows and sending vibrations racing through the walls. Jenny let out an anguished cry as fear gripped her, immobilizing her. She covered her ears with her hands and sank to the steps. 

"No…no…"

Eyes closed, she tried to fight off the inevitable; tried to remember the techniques she'd learned so long ago to evade the terror that wanted to overtake her, drown her in its power. 

Another clap of thunder shattered her control and she was back there, in that moment.

_Jenny was strapped in the backseat of the car, her mother's stern instructions not to move paralyzing her almost as much as the storm. She could hear her mother muttering to herself while trying to maneuver the car through the rainstorm. The rain was loud as it hit the windshield with blinding intensity, making visibility impossible. She knew her mother was scared; saw her flinch every time lightning lit up the sky. Jenny was scared too. She clutched her worn teddy bear in her arms as tight as she could; glad she remembered to bring it despite her father's teasing words that at seven, she was getting too big to carry around teddy bears. She heard her mother's whispered prayer, something about making it home. She heard the thunder again, louder this time, as lightning flashed bright and hot, right in front of them. She heard the scream first. It was her mother. Jenny closed her eyes hard and squeezed Teddy as tight as she could as the tires screeched; then the car jerked as it hit something hard. The loud noise frightened her; she heard herself scream._

_Then there was nothing._


	3. Chapter 3

Gibbs was worried. He pulled out his cell phone and tried her number again . The connection crackled, weak in the face of the storm and Gibbs held his breath waiting to see if the call would go through. It did. It rang once, twice and then again and still no answer. The call disconnected and he swore under his breath, jabbing the send button with no small amount of frustration. Again it just rang.

"Damnit Jen, pick up the phone."

After getting her voicemail again for what seemed like the millionth time, he slammed the phone shut and pounded his hand against the steering wheel. He started his car, calling himself every kind of fool for not listening to his gut and following her home like he'd started to when he told Ducky he'd take care of it. His gut was right 95 percent of the time, more so when it came to Jenny. Yet he hadn't listened and halfway to her house he'd convinced himself that she was a big girl. If she wanted his help, she'd ask for it. So he'd turned around and headed home. But Gibbs knew better and he knew that wasn't how Jenny operated. She wouldn't call him; hadn't called him the other times he'd shown up on her doorstep, ready and willing to provide whatever distraction he could to get her through a stormy night. 

His phone rang suddenly and Gibbs leaped for it, swerving the car into the other lane in the process. A horn beeped angrily and Gibbs snatched the phone before giving his own car a hard yank back into his lane. Stealing a quick glance at the caller ID seeing Jen's driver's name he answered, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Gibbs," he barked.

"Agent Gibbs, Denny here."

Finally, he thought. "Denny, is everything alright? Is the Director with you?"

"That's actually what I was calling you about, sir. The Director pulled rank, dismissed her detail. I've been trying to reach you for almost an hour but the storms interfering with the…" 

Gibbs didn't hear the rest. He closed the phone with a snap and again threw it away from him; high-tailing it to her house as quickly as he could-which wasn't as quick as he would have liked. The weather was playing havoc with traffic, flooding streets to the point where they were impassable, knocking down trees and power lines. Traffic crawled as people tried to make their way safely through intersections with flashing red lights or in some cases no lights at all. The steady downpour wasn't helping either. 

When he finally pulled up in front of Jen's, to say he was frustrated would have been a severe understatement. He ran to her door, anger over her casual dismissal of her security detail warring with the anxiousness he was feeling over her well-being. He knocked hard on the door, trying to be heard over the sound of the rain and residual thunder. The door gave way, opening slightly under his assault and Gibbs felt his unease grow. 

Pushing the door aside, he reached for his weapon. Gibbs tried the lights, finding them out. He considered calling out to her but dismissed that idea moments after it entered his head. Gibbs pulled out his pocket light, shining the narrow beam around the room, looking for any signs of trouble. He went through the downstairs carefully, checking her study and the kitchen, finding both rooms empty and trouble free. He moved back out to the living room, moving quietly toward the steps, hoping to find her fast asleep in her bedroom. Preferably alone, he mused as he started up the steps. 

It was the low whimpering noise that alerted him; stopping him before he tripped right over her. She sat on the steps, looking small and vulnerable; hands over her ears and eyes wide and out of focus. Lightning flashed, lighting up the stairwell and Gibbs recoiled at the look on Jenny's face. It was a look of horrified terror.

A/N: I know this is a bit short and I'm sorry for that. I do hope to have another part of this posted later today though! Thank you all who have read/reviewed! I am glad you are enjoying this and hope that you continue to do so. 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Again thank you all who have read/reviewed. And I know I said I would have this posted by end of today (and technically in my time zone I did make it-barely) but life intervened and I extend my apologies. But here is the next part and I do hope I've done it justice. Enjoy!

Chapter Four 

His first instinct was to grab her up and shake her out of whatever horror she was seeing in her mind. But Gibbs knew enough from the last time he'd seen her this way to know that approach would be a mistake. He still remembered the shiner she'd given him when he'd tried to shake her awake all those years ago. Back then he didn't know what he was dealing with, although Ducky _had _tried to warn him. He'd heard about Marines having flashbacks, knew about them in the abstract but never had to witness someone going through it up close and personal.

It had scared the hell out of him to see her go all pale and patsy, staring out at nothing while crouching in fear. He'd panicked when he couldn't get through to her, feeling embarrassed that he'd had to call in Ducky; but more afraid of what was wrong with her not too. Ducky had took one look at her and told him to wait, let it run its course. Gibbs hadn't liked that idea, hence the shiner. He'd definitely listened to Ducky after that.

Now as he stood in front of her, faced with the same dilemma, Gibbs knew to wait. He kneeled in front of her, careful not to get to close, and watched her-looking for signs that she was coming out of it; wondering how long she'd been in it. After what seemed like an eternity but was in reality only a few minutes he saw her blink and knew she was waking up.

He called her name softly as not to startle her. When he got no response, he called again, each time a little louder, trying to draw her out of the childhood memory that haunted her.

"C'mon baby, come back to me," he whispered fiercely.

She blinked as he called her name again and he felt relief flood him as he saw her eyes began to focus. She lowered her hands from her ears, staring at them in confusion. He saw the disorientation began to fade as she looked around her, taking in her surroundings, confirming that what she saw was real. Then she looked up at him, the pain in her beautiful green eyes almost his undoing.

"Hey," he said quietly.

She didn't say anything and he didn't expect her too. She stared at him, her eyes brimming with tears as she lifted her hand to him; her fingertips touching his face as if she expected him to disappear. Her mouth opened but no sound emerged; her lower lip quivering with the effort to speak.

Gibbs grabbed her fingers in his, placing a tender kiss in her palm before holding his arms out to her. She fell into them and he held her tight while her body shook with tortured sobs of a little girl who'd lost her mother all over again.

Gibbs legs began to ache from kneeling with her in his arms. He didn't complain. He whispered soothing words in her ear all the while rubbing her back, giving her the comfort he knew she needed. He remembered last time how embarrassed she was once she realized that he and Ducky had witnessed her moment of weakness, as she'd called it. She'd tried to act as if it were no big deal, closing herself off, trying to shut them out; shut _him _out. Gibbs hoped that they wouldn't have to go through that again.

The sobs finally turned into soft hiccups and Gibbs lifted her head, his heart aching at the sight of her tear-stained face. Awkwardly, he wiped the wetness away with his thumb.

"You okay?"

The question sounded inadequate to his own ears but it was one he desperately needed an answer to.

She nodded, looking anywhere but at him. She went to push out of his arms and he tightened his hold, groaning softly to himself.

"Don't shut me out, Jen. Not again."

He watched her eyes close as she fought for control.

"Jethro…I'm sor…"

"Don't," he commanded, his voice low. "Don't you dare say you're sorry. You have nothing to be sorry for," he said tucking a damp strand of hair behind her ear. "There's no shame in grief, Jen."

"God, Jethro…that hasn't happened in years."

He heard the anguish in her voice, saw the tears build up in her eyes again but knew she wouldn't let them fall. Even though the flashbacks brought it all back…the heartache…the sadness…the pain…she only let herself go once

"Why didn't you call me Jen, before it got so bad?"

She shrugged. "I didn't…there wasn't time…I…" she floundered; the lost expression on her face tugging at his heartstrings in a way that he didn't really want to think about right then.

"Would you…hold me…please?"

Gibbs could no more ignore that plea than he could stop breathing. "Come here, you stubborn woman," he said affectionately as she slipped her own arms around him, burying her head in the crook of his neck seeking the warmth and comfort he so generously provided. She took a deep, ragged breath and Gibbs felt her tremble. No wonder, he thought, feeling the dampness of her clothes.

"C'mon honey, lets get you upstairs and into some dry clothes."

He felt her nod against him then move away, neither of them acknowledging the endearment that slipped so easily from him.

"The storms passed," she noted quietly.

"For now," Gibbs warned her, guiding her up the rest of the stairs.

He helped her undress, removing her clothes with the skills of a man familiar with the contours of her body; first her shoes and pants then he moved up to unbutton her blouse. He did it with ease, giving no conscious thought to what he was doing. Then he caught sight of the black lace bra against the creamy whiteness of her skin and it was as if the tinted glasses had been removed.

Jennifer Shepard might have been in need of a little comfort but she was still an attractive woman. A woman with womanly parts and womanly curves and it took all his control not to run his fingers along those curves and parts. He watched her chest heave and then felt her hands cover his as he fumbled with the buttons. His eyes lifted to hers to find amused green ones watching him; telling him she knew exactly what he was thinking.

"I think I can handle it from here," she said softly.

He nodded and stepped away but not before his finger brushed against the smooth skin of her stomach and he felt her shiver. This time he was pretty certain it had nothing to do with damp clothes.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you all who've read/reviewed! Your comments are really appreciated! I struggled with this part which was why it took so long to post but I hope it turned out okay. Please enjoy!

Chapter Five

Jenny finished undressing by the faint light seeping in through her bedroom window; letting her blouse slip off her arms to join the rest of her things lying in a puddle on the floor. She turned and headed for the master bath, clad only in her panties and bra, returning with two lit candles. She placed them on her dresser as she bent over to pull out a t-shirt and a pair of worn jeans from her drawers.

The flame from the candle cast the room in shadows, but Jenny knew Gibbs could see her well enough. She ran her hands down her chilled body before reaching for her jeans, slowly guiding them over her calves, pass her thighs, giving a little wiggle as she pulled them around the swell of her buttocks, knowing Jethro watched her every move. She could feel the heat of his gaze upon her body and it made her feel slightly exhilarated to know she could affect him as much as he did her. Jenny reached around her back, intending to unhook her damp bra when she heard his sharp intake of air.

"Jen," he growled in warning.

Her lips twitched in amusement as she dropped her hands, very well aware that she was playing with fire. She reached around for her t-shirt, deciding that while playing with Jethro took her mind off of her other concerns, it was a dangerous thing to do. Her hands encountered his and she jumped back as if she'd been scolded. She hadn't even heard him move away from the door. Turning, she watched as he lifted the shirt above her head, his eyes on hers in the dim candlelight. He eased it down with agonizing gentleness, the rough texture of his hands skimming over her skin and Jenny bit her lower lip to keep from gasping out loud.

'I know what you're doing Jen," he told her, the candlelight flickering in his blue eyes. "Just remember, two can play this game. Are you sure you're ready?"

It occurred to her then as he reached for one of the candles and walked away, that if she wasn't careful she just might get burned.

When Jenny emerged from her bedroom, Jethro was no where to be found. Feet bare, she descended the stairs, letting the candle light guide her direction. He was sitting in her living area, drink in hand and another one on the table in front of him.

"Thought you might want a drink," he offered.

She stared at him for a moment; taking in his casual posture as he nonchalantly leaned back against the sofa. Jenny wasn't fooled. She knew he was still concerned and as much as she wanted to tell him he didn't need to be, she couldn't. Jenny placed her candle next to his in the center of the table while scooping up the glass of bourbon he'd poured for her. She took a sip before walking to the other side of the sofa, sitting with her back against the arm and pulling her feet close. Jenny let her drink rest on her knees, staring down into the brown liquid as she swirled it with her finger.

She was still feeling a bit apprehensive, couldn't seem to shake the memories these episodes of hers always evoked as quickly as she'd like. No matter how old she got, hearing her mother's scream play over and over again in her mind was still as disturbing today as it was when she was seven. Jenny took a long gulp of her drink, feeling the pain and sadness cursing through her, settling around her like a cloak.

"Easy Jen."

She looked over to find him studying her, trying to decide if that drink was a good idea after all. She wanted to laugh, say something light, tell him to get that worried look off his face because she was fine. They both knew she wasn't.

"It would have been easier if you'd have just let me seduce you," she said quietly.

If he was surprised by her words, he didn't show it. "Yeah, but then you'd regret it in the morning."

She said nothing then, letting the sound of the rain pelting against the roof fill the silence of the room. The orange glow of the candle washed over them, surrounding them in a shroud of intimacy. Jenny lifted her eyes to his.

"Would I?"

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks too all of you who have taken time out to read/review this story. It is much appreciated!

Chapter Six

Maybe it was the ambiance in the room or the way her eyes glittered as they connected with his that had him completely mesmerized. Jenny Shepard was a beautiful woman on a normal day but even after all her vulnerability; dressed down in jeans and a t-shirt, hair flattened by the rain, she was breathtaking. And as he watched her place her drink on the table and crawl over to him like a tigress ready to pounce, it took everything in him not to take what she was offering and damn the consequences. He swallowed back a moan when he felt her hand on his chest, her breath mingling with his own. She licked her lips and it was almost his undoing when she leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "kiss me, Jethro," before placing feather-light kisses along his jaw line, stopping as she reached his lips.

He pulled back slightly, his pulse racing at her nearness, and tried to put an end to this. "Jen..."

She rolled her eyes, making a frustrated sound in the back of her throat before she slammed her lips into his, effectively shutting him up. He might have found this situation humorous had he had time to think about it. He might have pushed her away, told her he knew this wasn't what she wanted. But as her tongue explored his mouth, teased his lips and demanded his attention in return, the only option was to comply. It wasn't a good idea but he was only a man with a very attractive, very desirable woman practically sitting in his lap. All he could think to do in that moment was give her back what she thought she wanted.

They remained like that for several moments, kissing and caressing, trying to capture the passion they'd shared all those years ago. And while Gibbs enjoyed having her in his arms again, something was different. They'd never had to work hard to make the passion soar between the two of them. Granted they were both older now but he knew the sexual chemistry was still as alive now as it was then. Under the right circumstances, Gibbs had no doubt that him and Jen would be sensational together.

But not tonight.

And it was only a matter of seconds before she realized it too. He could tell by the desperation in her kisses that this wasn't about them but more about her need to escape, to forget; and it was either going to be him or the bourbon.

He'd won.

Gibbs felt her withdrawal the minute it happened; her body became stiff as she tried to pull away, breathing hard. He held her for a minute, trying to get a grip on his own breathing. She wouldn't look at him, instead twisting her hand in his shirt and leaning her forehead against his chest.

"I can't do this," she mumbled into his shirt.

"I know," he said softly.

Jenny lifted her head and raised her eyes up to his, cupping his face in the palm of her hand before giving him a watery smile. She went to push off of him, losing her balance her hand landed in his lap and Gibbs gasped. Jenny jerked away, heat rising to her face as she realized he was semi-aroused. Her eyes widened as she looked at him, embarrassed that she'd done that to him and left him in that state.

"Jethro, I'm so…"

"No," he said covering her mouth with his forefinger. "No apologies Jen."

"God, Jethro, I feel like such a tease," she said walking away from him.

"That's one word for it," he replied lightly. Jenny just glared at him.

"Jen," he said walking over to her, tilting her head up so that she would meet his eyes. "This is nothing. This can happen just by you walking in the room."

Even in the dim candlelight he saw her blush. He resisted the urge to smile again, knowing it would only make her more embarrassed. Instead, he took her hand in his, his blue eyes staring at her intently as he spoke. "I don't want you to worry about this Jen or feel bad about tonight. It's just not the right time," he told her quietly. "When we do make love, it'll be because it's about us and how we feel about each other, not because you're trying to avoid dealing with these flashbacks."

She smirked. "_When _we make love? Not _if?" She made a tsking sound, "_You sound awfully sure of yourself, Agent Gibbs."

He smiled arrogantly at her, his eyes twinkling. "That's because I am, Director."

A/N (again) I am debating whether this story should end here or if there should be an additional chapter explaining/discussing the flashbacks. I'm feeling like I'm leaving a piece of the puzzle unanswered but then again I don't want to lose readers by over-doing this story. So I'm asking you kind folks to give me your opinion when you review (please). Should the story end here or should I post one more chapter giving more info on the flashback? Thanks in advance for your feedback!


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